Expert Star Battle answer — May 17, 2026

Full written solution

Every deduction from the walkthrough above, in order. Each technique is explained in the Star Battle strategy guide.

1. Starting position — the grid is split into regions (bold outlines). Each row, column, and region needs exactly two stars, and no two stars may touch.
2. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 3, column 8).
3. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 4, column 8).
4. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 3, column 7).
5. Mark 6 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 6).
6. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 8, column 1).
7. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 8, column 2).
8. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 7, column 1).
9. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 1).
10. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 6, column 3).
11. Mark 6 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 2).
12. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 1).
13. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 1).
14. Column 1 complete: Mark 4 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 1).
15. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 2).
16. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 3).
17. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 2, column 4).
18. Clump analysis (Column 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 3).
19. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 9, column 9).
20. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 8).
21. Crowding (Row 4): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 3, column 4).
22. Squeeze (columns 3-4): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 8, column 5).
23. Squeeze (columns 4-5): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 6, column 6).
24. Generalized counting (rows 1-1): region star limits exclude these cells (row 1, column 2).
25. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 3, column 3).
26. Generalized counting (rows 1-3): region star limits exclude these cells (row 3, column 9).
27. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 9).
28. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 8).
29. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 5).
30. Crowding (Column 8): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 8, column 7).
31. Crowding (Row 8): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 7, column 5).
32. Squeeze (rows 2-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 1, column 9).
33. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 9).
34. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 8).
35. Three candidates in a column: Middle cell can't hold a star (row 8, column 8).
36. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 5, column 7).
37. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 6).
38. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 8).
39. Row 5 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 5, column 5).
40. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 5).
41. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 6).
42. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 6).
43. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 6).
44. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 4).
45. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 4).
46. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 8).
47. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 6).
48. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 5).
49. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 2).
50. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 3).
51. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 1, column 4).
52. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 5).
53. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 4).
54. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 3).
55. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.